Norman, Oklahoma USA

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Mike has 123 articles published.

Soonerguys Editor

Mike: It does not Mateer any more

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Sure, play calling has been puzzling at times. And, yes, there are times it looks like the offensive line has never seen a football game.

But, John Mateer’s play at quarterback is what will get offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle fired this year. Not that other stuff.

The Oklahoma vs. Georgia football game, which should be re-labeled the Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma game (and Oklahoma beat itself 41-13), was the football gods’ way of telling everyone that, no Mateer what you do, this offense doesn’t have the talent at the most important position in the game.

I hate to say that. No one questions Mateer’s heart. His drive. His will.

But his lack of concentration and inability to protect the ball — the number one priority of any ball carrier — and his “what-the-hell” throw-the-ball-up interceptions — equal a quarterback insufficient to compete at this level.

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Sooners survive Lobos 14-6, poor offensive show

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You knew when the OU twirler dropped her baton and then an errant firework scorched the turf during the pregame run on that things weren’t going to go well for the Sooners the rest of the evening.

Omens aside, the events during Oklahoma’s narrow 14-6 game which it didn’t win as much as it survived, and the post-game remarks about it, made for a disappointing and perhaps foreboding turn in the Sooners’ 2026 season.

Oklahoma’s fans turned on their quarterback, launching the first boos of the still fledgling season when QB John Mateer inexplicably completed his first pass to the wrong team — an interception to begin his first action since throwing a game-losing INT in Ann Arbor a week before.

Later in the second quarter the fans turned on offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, especially when he chose to run the ball in the waning minutes of the half to set up a field goal (that would miss), rather than have Mateer pass the ball for a hoped for touchdown.

This overshadowed a stellar performance by Oklahoma’s defense, making six sacks and 10 tackles for a loss. Their fourth down stop at the end of the game sealed a win.

The night vs day imbalance between Oklahoma’s offense and defense is a mirror image of a Lincoln Riley team — but in Riley’s case, the Sooners’ offense was so potent it didn’t matter as much.

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Mike: On the road

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MIKE’S BLOG
Some thoughts about the weekend while on an overnight stopover in Chicago before heading home tomorrow:

College football is crazy. And that has little to do with my Sooners’ loss as much as what happened elsewhere on Saturday. Hapless Oklahoma State embarrasses playoff contender Oregon. A week after looking like crap against Tulsa. As they say, what a difference one week makes.

Which is the thought OU fans should remember to ease their irritability on an Sunday afternoon. One week can make a difference.

In retrospect, the Sooners defense played well. Take away Bryce Underwood’s touchdown run and he averaged less than three yards a carry. Oklahoma held Michigan to just 10 points (because I don’t hold Mateer’s interception that set the Wolverines up on the plus-six yard line and led to the game-winning score, against the D).

Offense has two problems: Mateer’s inaccurate passing. And OC Ben Arbuckle’s insistence calling a quarterback draw play (which, maybe, was his way of dealing with the passing accuracy issue). Michigan figured that play out pretty quickly.

Bottom line is you can’t turn the ball over and expect to twin. You also can’t have a dozen penalties.

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